"Cailing? Cailing? Cailing?"
He called out several times, but received no response. Then, Xiao Bai opened the door and looked down the hallway, but there was no sign of Chen Cailing either.
Such a living, breathing person had vanished into thin air!
In reality, something like this would be absolutely impossible, but at this moment, it sent a chill of deep dread through Xiao Bai.
Because this was the stage of a horror story. Chen Cailing's sudden disappearance likely spelled doom.
Suddenly struck by a thought, Xiao Bai pulled out the "Never-Disconnected Phone" and dialed a number...
...
Where... is this...
Where am I... right now...
At this moment, when Chen Cailing opened her eyes again, all she saw was a pitch-black space where she couldn't see her hand in front of her face. The space was filled with a familiar stench, like burning corpses.
Why had she suddenly appeared here? A surge of intense fear welled up in Chen Cailing's heart, and soon, she recalled what had happened before.
Back then, when she had pasted the last exorcism talisman on the door, driving back the supernatural force on it, and was about to open it, she felt as if countless hands were grabbing her from behind. An abnormally powerful force yanked her back into the room, and then, like falling into a deep pool, her entire body was suddenly submerged in blood.
When she opened her eyes again, she was in this dark space.
So... I'm not dead yet...
When the supernatural force had dragged her into the pool of blood, Chen Cailing's heart was overwhelmed by fear and terror. From what she'd learned in the horror story group, anyone attacked by the supernatural who didn't escape was basically doomed to die. So at that moment, besides fear, there was nothing but boundless despair.
But unexpectedly, she wasn't immediately killed by the ghost. Instead, she was transported to this eerie space. Could this be another hint from the story?
So-called hints were something the veterans in the horror story group constantly reminded newcomers about. The story was full of deadly traps, but it wasn't stingy with giving participants clues. As long as you successfully deciphered the hints' implications, most dangers could be avoided.
Realizing that the dark space she was in might be a hint from the story, Chen Cailing barely managed to pull herself together from the intense fear and began groping around to explore the space.
No good, it's too dark. I can't see anything.
Just then, Chen Cailing let out an "ah" as her finger, feeling along the wall, suddenly stung, as if pricked by something.
She reached out and felt around—it seemed to be something like an iron nail. Her carelessness had cut her finger, drawing blood.
Where exactly is this place?
Chen Cailing's confusion only deepened.
At that moment, a piercing ringtone suddenly echoed through the dark space. Chen Cailing was startled at first, then realized it was the "Never-Disconnected Phone" she carried with her.
There was absolutely no way there could be any phone signal in this dark space, but this item, bought with story points, could transcend time and space to connect calls.
Seeing the name on the phone screen, Chen Cailing immediately pressed the answer button: "Xiao Bai!"
"Cailing?"
Hearing the call connect, Xiao Bai was overjoyed. "Where are you?"
"I... I don't know..."
Chen Cailing held the phone, eyes wide open, fearfully looking around. "It's very dark here, very cramped. I can't see anything..."
Very dark? Very cramped? Xiao Bai's heart stirred slightly. "Cailing, describe it more carefully. The place you're in might be an important clue in the story!"
"Think slowly. Don't miss any key hints!"
"Okay. This place is very dark and cramped. I can't find an exit. It feels like... a secret room. Oh, right, there's something sharp nailed to the wall—it just cut my finger!"
"A secret room?"
Xiao Bai was slightly surprised. The eerie event Chen Cailing had encountered undoubtedly hinted to them, the participants, that besides the attic, this manor had other sealed spaces!
"Cailing, can you tell roughly where this space is?"
In the darkness, Chen Cailing shook her head. "No... I seem to have been teleported directly here. I can't figure out where it is, but I can smell a burnt stench."
"I understand. Cailing, the clues you've given are very important. We'll definitely find a way to rescue you as soon as possible!"
"Okay... hurry..." For some reason, a strong sense of dread suddenly surged in Chen Cailing's heart again. "Xiao Bai, actually, I have a really bad feeling right now..."
Before she could finish speaking, a faint light suddenly flickered in the dark space.
The dim glow from a lantern faintly illuminated the sealed room.
"Ah..."
Chen Cailing's pupils dilated sharply, and she let out an involuntary, terrified gasp.
"Cailing? What's wrong, Cailing?"
On the other end of the phone, Xiao Bai, sensing something was off, immediately shouted loudly.
"What happened!"
Chen Cailing's eyes were wide open to their limit, as if she had seen something utterly horrifying. She opened her mouth, wanting to tell him everything she saw.
But she couldn't make a single sound!
It was as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping her throat, and then countless other invisible hands seized her body.
With a clatter, the phone fell to the ground. Under the influence of the supernatural force, Chen Cailing's body twisted grotesquely, like a twisted rope, accompanied by the sound of bones snapping under unbearable pressure.
In the midst of immense pain, she couldn't utter a sound. She could only glare at the shadow before her with eyes full of fury and unwillingness.
In that final moment before death, Chen Cailing finally realized what posed the greatest threat to them, the participants. But this information, no matter what, she had no chance to pass on to the others.
I never thought I'd die in this story...
At the last moment, the thought in her mind was one of fierce reluctance!
Before her consciousness faded, that was probably the final thought flashing through her mind. Then, with a soft crack, a severed head rolled to the ground.
Next, another foot stepped forward and crushed the fallen phone into pieces.
"Beep—beep—beep—"
The busy signal of a disconnected call came from the phone. After dialing a few more times and finding the call couldn't be connected, Xiao Bai finally hung up.
In fact, even before hanging up, she had already sensed it—a strange feeling that allowed them, the participants, to perceive a teammate's death.
The unreachable phone only confirmed it further.
Chen Cailing had died in the story.
P.S. One supporting character down.